Friday 25, October 2024 – The East African Business Council (EABC), in collaboration with the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the East African Women in Business Platform (EAWiBP), hosted a high-impact SheTrades webinar aimed at advancing the competitiveness of women-led enterprises across East Africa. The event brought together more than 200 entrepreneurs, including women and business leaders to explore strategies for enhancing women’s participation in regional and global markets.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Adrian Njau, Acting Executive Director of EABC, underscored the critical role women entrepreneurs play in driving East Africa’s economic development. He highlighted the SheTrades Initiative, alongside the EU-funded MARKUP II program, as transformative platforms that address barriers women face, particularly in access to finance, digital tools, and market reach. “Women-led enterprises are key to sustainable economic progress in East Africa,” Mr. Njau stated, “and it is essential that we create enabling frameworks to unlock their full potential.” He encouraged women entrepreneurs to engage with SheTrades’ resources to enhance their business skills, access mentorship, and leverage new opportunities for market entry.
Ms. Nancy Gitonga, Chairperson of EAWiBP, emphasized the significance of collaboration among stakeholders to empower women in trade. She commended SheTrades for fostering a more inclusive business environment and creating pathways for women-led SMEs to succeed, particularly in agriculture and manufacturing. “By working together, we can break down the barriers that hold back women entrepreneurs,” she remarked, urging participants to utilize the tools provided by SheTrades to build resilience, improve business acumen, and increase market connectivity. Ms. Gitonga highlighted the platform’s efforts to improve the capacity of women-led SMEs through training, workshops, and regional networking opportunities.
Angel Becaty, ITC/MARKUP II Regional Coordinator Unity, spoke on the initiative’s global reach, working with over 200 organizations worldwide to deliver digital tools, market insights, and funding opportunities for women entrepreneurs. She pointed out that only a fifth of women-led MSMEs are currently exporting, highlighting the vast potential that programs like SheTrades aim to unlock. “Our goal is to help bridge these gaps by connecting women with the knowledge and resources they need to succeed on a global scale,” Ms. Becaty explained, emphasizing ITC’s commitment to expanding technical training, networking events, and digital skills development across East Africa.
The webinar featured presentations from ITC representatives Ms. Anna Summer, SheTrades Programme Officer, and Ms. Phylis Mwangi, SheTrades Regional Coordinator for East Africa, who gave an overview of existing networks, digital tools and upcoming SheTrades activities in the region. They shared insights on the EU-funded MARKUP II program, which is providing training, mentorship, and funding opportunities to over 800 MSMEs across six East African countries, particularly in high-growth sectors such as coffee, cocoa, leather, and horticulture. They shared inspiring success stories, including that of a Rwandan entrepreneur who successfully exported 22 tons of avocados through the SheTrades platform, exemplifying the real impact of the initiative on women-led businesses.
The East African Community Secretariat also participated, stressing the importance of addressing systemic challenges that hinder women’s economic empowerment, such as limited access to finance and digital tools. They highlighted the role of partnerships in overcoming these challenges and commended SheTrades for supporting the capacity-building and growth of women-led businesses. The Secretariat emphasized that regional integration efforts like the AfCFTA will be crucial in further expanding market opportunities for women entrepreneurs across Africa.
The webinar underscored the significance of empowering women-led enterprises and recognized their role in shaping East Africa’s economic future. Participants were encouraged to leverage SheTrades resources and tools to position their businesses for success in competitive markets. SheTrades’ continued focus on digital transformation, funding, and capacity building for women entrepreneurs reflects its commitment to creating sustainable growth avenues for women-led businesses across the region.
For more information on ITC’s SheTrades Initiative and how its work in East Africa, please visit https://www.trademap.org.
